At the dawn of a new century, everything is changing... and anything is possible. Southwest High School is proud to present Ragtime, a production as exciting as it is relevant.
Set in the volatile melting pot of turn-of-the-century New York, three distinctly American tales are woven together - that of a stifled upper-class wife, a determined Jewish immigrant, and a daring young Harlem musician - united by their courage, compassion and a belief in the promise of the future. Together they confront history's timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair, and what it means to live in America.
The Tony-winning score is just as diverse as the melting pot of America itself, drawing upon many musical styles from the ragtime rhythms of Harlem and Tin Pan Alley to the klezmer of the Lower East Side, from bold brass band marches to delicate waltzes, from up-tempo banjo tunes to period parlor songs and expansive anthems.
Ragtime will inspire Southwest audiences with a truly unique and powerful portrait of America. Join us!
Directed by Margaret Berg, music directed by Nathan Knoll, choreographed by Kenna Camara-Cottman, and conducted by Reid Wixson. Music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, book by Terrence McNally based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow.
